July 5, 2017

San Diego Housing Commission Launches HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO: 2018-2020 to Create Permanent Housing Opportunities for 3,000 Homeless San Diegans

Homelessness action plan directs $79.7 million to six programs to address homelessness

San Diego, CA – Permanent rental housing opportunities for at least 3,000 homeless individuals and families in the City of San Diego will be created through HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO: 2018-2020, the San Diego Housing Commission’s (SDHC) homelessness action plan, which was launched today in collaboration with the City of San Diego and the County of San Diego.

“We all know that the best way to start ending the cycle of homelessness for some is to put a roof over their head and provide them the support that they need, and that’s exactly what we’re going to be able to do for thousands of our homeless neighbors,” said San Diego Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer.

HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO: 2018-2020 directs $79.7 million in federal, City of San Diego and SDHC resources over the next three fiscal years toward six programs to address homelessness.

“To most effectively address homelessness, San Diego must not only implement strategies to house people who are currently homeless, but also strategies to help prevent people from becoming homeless in the first place,” said City Councilmember Chris Ward, Chair of the City Council’s Select Committee on Homelessness and Vice Chair of the Regional Task Force on the Homeless. “The expanded resources we’re talking about here today … will allow the Housing Commission to expand on their current success and make great progress on both fronts.”

The County of San Diego’s Project One For All program, to which SDHC has committed 733 federal rental housing vouchers as part of HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO, is an example of the type of public-private partnership that creates permanent housing opportunities.

“Since we started last June, the program has housed now over 384 people – severely mentally ill individuals that have been out on the streets. The 733 vouchers that we’re hearing about here today are an incredible resource for maintaining the progress that we’ve already made,” said County Supervisor Ron Roberts, Chair of the Regional Task Force on the Homeless.

Collaboration among government agencies, affordable housing developers, private-sector landlords and service providers is essential to addressing the challenge of homelessness through SDHC’s homelessness action plan.

“HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO: 2018-2020 reflects the innovation, collaboration and commitment needed to create permanent housing opportunities for families and individuals who are experiencing homelessness and are looking for a path off the streets,” said SDHC President & CEO Richard C. Gentry.

HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO: 2018-2020 is deeply rooted in the national “housing first” approach of providing housing to homeless individuals as quickly as possible, with supportive services as needed.

The six programs of HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO: 2018-2020 are:

• Landlord Incentives – Assist at least 3,000 homeless households by increasing the resources for SDHC’s landlord incentives and benefits program.
• New Permanent Supportive Housing – Invest federal Moving to Work (MTW) and City of San Diego Affordable Housing Funds to create 500 permanent supportive housing units, which will also be eligible for Federal rental housing vouchers to provide rental assistance for homeless San Diegans.
• SDHC Moving Home Rapid Rehousing Assistance – Assist approximately 600 homeless households to obtain and maintain permanent housing through light case management and short-term rental assistance.
• SDHC Moving On Rental Assistance Program – Provide rental assistance to 50 formerly homeless individuals who are transitioning out of permanent supportive housing, but continue to need rental assistance. This program is a partnership with the County of San Diego Behavioral Health Services Division.
• Homeless Prevention & Diversion Services – Assist up to 1,450 households, which will reduce the inflow of newly homeless individuals and families.
• Coordinated Street Outreach for Coordinated Entry – Expand support and coordination among existing street outreach efforts.

San Diego City Councilmember Georgette Gomez, Vice Chair of the Select Committee on Homelessness; SDHC Commissioner Ben Moraga; Regional Task Force on the Homeless CEO Gordon Walker; Mayor Faulconer’s Senior Advisor on Homeless Coordination Jonathan Herrera; and Alpha Project President & CEO Bob McElroy also attended the news conference to launch HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO: 2018-2020. The news conference was held at Alpha Square, a 201-unit affordable rental housing development for homeless San Diegans that celebrated its grand opening on November 18, 2015.

SDHC awarded 135 Federal rental housing vouchers to Alpha Square to provide rental assistance for formerly homeless residents. The vouchers were among the 1,500 rental housing vouchers
committed by SDHC to address homelessness in the first three years of HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO, which launched on November 12, 2014.

Background:

HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO: 2018-2020 builds upon the accomplishments in the first three years of SDHC’s homelessness action plan (2014-2017), which is on track to impact the lives of close to 3,000 homeless San Diegans. This far exceeds its original goal of 1,500.

The accomplishments of HOUSING FIRST – SAN DIEGO: 2014-17 include:

• Award Development Funds – Up to $30 Million (up to $10 million per year) – Awarded $29.8 million toward the creation of 407 permanent supportive housing units.
• Commit up to 1,500 Federal Rental Housing Vouchers – Committed 1,869 rental housing vouchers to nonprofit agencies and affordable housing developments to assist homeless San Diegans.
• Renovate Hotel Churchill – Created 72 Units of permanent supportive housing: 56 for homeless Veterans; 8 for transitional age youth, ages 18-25; and 8 for adults exiting the corrections system. SDHC invested $9.2 million in MTW funds toward the $20.6 million total rehabilitation cost. Grand Reopening: September 19, 2016.
• Invest MTW Federal Funds to Acquire Property – Invested $15 million in MTW funds to purchase the 120-unit Village North Senior Garden Apartments on May 1, 2015, and set aside 44 rental apartments, or 36 percent, for homeless seniors.
• Dedicate SDHC-owned Housing Units – Committed 25 SDHC-owned housing units year-round, which have assisted 36 families (139 individuals, including 89 children); 16 families have become financially self-reliant and are able pay rent on their own.
• The Guardian Scholars Program – Provide rental assistance for up to 100 San Diego State University (SDSU) students who have been homeless or at risk of homelessness.
• The Monarch School Project – Provide rental housing vouchers for up to 25 families who have at least one child enrolled at the Monarch School, one of the few schools in the nation specifically serving homeless children.
• Housing Our Heroes – Provide housing opportunities for 1,000 homeless Veterans in the city of San Diego. As of June 30, 2017, 800 previously homeless Veterans secured permanent housing, and 328 homeless Veterans were searching for housing with rental assistance. In addition, 388 private landlords have joined Housing Our Heroes.

For more information, please visit www.sdhc.org.

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Media Contact:
Scott Marshall
Vice President of Communications
San Diego Housing Commission
(619) 578-7138
scottm@sdhc.org